https://tinyurl.com/y4vsq4gs
In Dholavira, pillars were used to provide for structural support to roofs and provide an indication of multi-storeyed structures. Pillars were mounted on a series of ring-stones.See: Pillars in Dholavira -- Sagar Bhanderi.
Within Dholavira, there are two unique pillars which appear to be at the entrance to an elevated place which held an 8 or circle-shaped structure of stones with a central pillar.
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One of the two pillars is seen to the left of the circular stone structure with a pillar in the centre.
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Two pillars associated with some type of entrance. It resembles a pillar shaped structure that is neatly polished. Two pillars could be a form of entry into a town, temple or a place of significance.
It has been argued that the circular workers' platforms found in a series in Harappa may have held such pillars or Śivalinga attached to stone bases as indicators of prayers to something sacred or as symbols of activity on the workers' platforms.
A less frequently used name as a synony for lamassu, 'a composite animal', is shedu (Cuneiform: 𒀭𒆘, an.kal×bad; Sumerian: dalad; Akkadian, šēdu), which refers to the male counterpart of a lamassu.(Black, Jeremy; Green, Anthony (2003). An Illustrated dictionary, Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia. The British Museum Press).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamassu
This word shedu is cognate cognate with the substrate Meluhha word cēdi which is a synonm of jagati, jagali, 'a pedestal for an idol, for e.g., to hold a śivalinga'. This cēdi, 'pedestal' is archaeologically evidenced from Mohenjo-daro. The trefoil decoration on the pedestal signifies dhāu 'mineral' trefoils rebus धामन् dhāman 'wealth'. In the tradition of Ancient Near East regions, including Sumer and Elam, the
ḍāṅro 'blacksmith', ṭhākur 'deity'.
I submit that the two pillars of Dholavira at the entrance to the sacred temple on a raised platform constituted a pair of cēdi or Skambha (AV X.7), Śivalinga. Skambha is a symbol of veneration;it signifies the Yūpa which is a ketu, a proclamation for the performance of a yajña. 19 such pillars or skambha or Yupa have been found in Rajasthan and also in East Borneo (attributed to Mulavarman who performed bahusuvarṇaka yajña).
kambat 'pillar' rebus kammaṭa 'mint, coiner, coinage'. Thus, I suggest that the pair of pillars of Dholavira signify an entrance to a mint which is a kole.l'temple' rebus: kole.l'smithy, forge'. Thus, they signify dul kole.l'cast metal smithy/forge' rebus: kole.l 'smithy,forge' which is a kole.l 'temple.
See: 1. Binjor Indus Script Seal & Mulavarman yupa inscription, relate to yajna for बहुसुवर्णक, bahusuvarṇaka, 'to possess many gold pieces' http://tinyurl.com/z2q2rk6
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Dholavira. Pillar with stone rings. In situ.
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Pillar members in their original place in the Castle, Harappan period (c. 2500-1900 BCE). The east gate is quite elaborate with a large and elevated built-in chamber and a sunken passageway in front that connects to the stairs rising on the interior part of the castle. Each wall had a central pillar supported by a base slab made up of square blocks.
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The limestone pillar members, found at Dholavira reminiscence of the Harappan culture. A circular cut base of the pillar is shown below. Pillar members have been found in various trenches around Dholavira.
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A broad and deep passageway with stairs and a high front terrace with connected pathways and on outward gentle slope. The entry from west gate leads to a set of reservoirs. Pillars and pilasters can be seen on the interior chambers of the west gate. These are mounted on the side walls of chambers and support the respective roofs.
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Top view of the rectangular basal slab with robust locking mechanism. Entire pillars rested on these superstructures [?]. These were used as a mounting point for side walls of chambers and to provide support to the roof structure.
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A set of three rectangular basal slabs used to support the pillar column and mud bricks. The image shows finely crafted pillar base on which the composite pillar members were placed in order. These can be found in the upper part of the town or the citadel.
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An entry point into the Dholavira city and offering a vantage point over the sprawling cityscape is the North Gate. There are two large and elevated chambers flanked by sunken passageways on both sides. It is connected with L-shaped staircases. The front terrace is 6m high and 12m deep. The north gate holds the signpost with 10 unusually large Harappan symbols.
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A 10 lettered signboard found in the western chamber of North Gate of Castle, (c. 2500-1900 BC). There are ten symbols in the panel. One symbol has been repeated four times. These symbols are indicative of use in Stage IV of Harappan Culture. These inscriptions are located near the gate and are often referred to as "Sign Board". The symbols have a special significance as visitors would see them before or after they entered Dholavira.
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"However, one of the most exciting discoveries at Dholavira is a large wooden "signboard" just outside the north entrance to the citadel. This is actually one of the longest Indus inscriptions known. There are 10 symbols in the panel, each one is about 37 centimetres high and the board on which the letters were inscribed appears to have been about 3 meters long. One of the symbols is repeated 4 times. The symbols are made of white gypsum used like mosaic tiles, attached to a wooden background. At some point the wooden sign fell face down in the dirt, eventually rotting away but leaving the bricks in place in the ground. Bisht has said that this sign was in use in Stage IV, that belongs to the classical Harappan culture. Based on its location near the gate, this large inscription has been called a "sign board," suggesting that ancient Indus gateways, or at last this one, could have had some sort of signs associated with it that visitors to the city saw before or as they entered. However until the Indus script is deciphered, what the sign is saying still remains a mystery."
https://www.harappa.com/blog/dholavira-and-its-mysterious-sign-board
In Dholavira, pillars were used to provide for structural support to roofs and provide an indication of multi-storeyed structures. Pillars were mounted on a series of ring-stones.See: Pillars in Dholavira -- Sagar Bhanderi.
See:
Dholavira signboard on अर्कशाल'goldsmith workshop' and Mehrgarh spoked copper alloy wheel proclaim akṣaracaṇa 'scribe' the metallurgical competence of artisans to engrave on metal https://tinyurl.com/y6fp3zkq The signboard on the gateway proclaims a goldsmith workshop with competent akṣaracaṇa 'scribe' the metallurgical competence of artisans to engrave on metal.
Within Dholavira, there are two unique pillars which appear to be at the entrance to an elevated place which held an 8 or circle-shaped structure of stones with a central pillar.
Two pillars associated with some type of entrance. It resembles a pillar shaped structure that is neatly polished. Two pillars could be a form of entry into a town, temple or a place of significance.
It has been argued that the circular workers' platforms found in a series in Harappa may have held such pillars or Śivalinga attached to stone bases as indicators of prayers to something sacred or as symbols of activity on the workers' platforms.
This word shedu is cognate cognate with the substrate Meluhha word cēdi which is a synonm of jagati, jagali, 'a pedestal for an idol, for e.g., to hold a śivalinga'. This cēdi, 'pedestal' is archaeologically evidenced from Mohenjo-daro. The trefoil decoration on the pedestal signifies dhāu 'mineral' trefoils rebus धामन् dhāman 'wealth'. In the tradition of Ancient Near East regions, including Sumer and Elam, the
ḍāṅro 'blacksmith', ṭhākur 'deity'.
I submit that the two pillars of Dholavira at the entrance to the sacred temple on a raised platform constituted a pair of cēdi or Skambha (AV X.7), Śivalinga. Skambha is a symbol of veneration;it signifies the Yūpa which is a ketu, a proclamation for the performance of a yajña. 19 such pillars or skambha or Yupa have been found in Rajasthan and also in East Borneo (attributed to Mulavarman who performed bahusuvarṇaka yajña).
The two pillars may be read rebus in Meluhha:
ḍula m. ʻ rolling stone ʼ (Kashmiri)(CDIAL 6582) WPah.kṭg. (kc.) ḍhōˋḷ m. ʻ stone ʼ, kṭg. ḍhòḷṭɔ m. ʻ big stone or boulder ʼ, ḍhòḷṭu ʻ small id. ʼ Him.I 87.(CDIAL 5536) Rebus: dul ‘cast metal’ (Santali) PLUS
kambat 'pillar' rebus kammaṭa 'mint, coiner, coinage'. Thus, I suggest that the pair of pillars of Dholavira signify an entrance to a mint which is a kole.l'temple' rebus: kole.l'smithy, forge'. Thus, they signify dul kole.l'cast metal smithy/forge' rebus: kole.l 'smithy,forge' which is a kole.l 'temple.
skambhá1 m. ʻ prop, pillar ʼ RV. 2. ʻ *pit ʼ (semant. cf. kūˊpa -- 1 ). [√skambh ]
1. Pa. khambha -- m. ʻ prop ʼ; Pk. khaṁbha -- m. ʻ post, pillar ʼ; Pr. iškyöp, üšköb ʻ bridge ʼ NTS xv 251; L. (Ju.) khabbā m., mult. khambbā m. ʻ stake forming fulcrum for oar ʼ; P. khambh, khambhā, khammhā m. ʻ wooden prop, post ʼ; WPah.bhal. kham m. ʻ a part of the yoke of a plough ʼ, (Joshi) khāmbā m. ʻ beam, pier ʼ; Ku. khāmo ʻ a support ʼ, gng. khām ʻ pillar (of wood or bricks) ʼ; N. khã̄bo ʻ pillar, post ʼ, B. khām, khāmbā; Or. khamba ʻ post, stake ʼ; Bi. khāmā ʻ post of brick -- crushing machine ʼ, khāmhī ʻ support of betel -- cage roof ʼ, khamhiyā ʻ wooden pillar supporting roof ʼ; Mth. khāmh, khāmhī ʻ pillar, post ʼ, khamhā ʻ rudder -- post ʼ; Bhoj. khambhā ʻ pillar ʼ, khambhiyā ʻ prop ʼ; OAw. khāṁbhe m. pl. ʻ pillars ʼ, lakh. khambhā; H. khām m. ʻ post, pillar, mast ʼ, khambh f. ʻ pillar, pole ʼ; G. khām m. ʻ pillar ʼ, khã̄bhi , ˚bi f. ʻ post ʼ, M. khã̄b m., Ko. khāmbho, ˚bo, Si. kap (< *kab); -- X gambhīra -- , sthāṇú -- , sthūˊṇā -- qq.v.2. K. khambü rü f. ʻ hollow left in a heap of grain when some is removed ʼ; Or. khamā ʻ long pit, hole in the earth ʼ, khamiā ʻ small hole ʼ; Marw. khã̄baṛo ʻ hole ʼ; G. khã̄bhũ n. ʻ pit for sweepings and manure ʼ.(CDIAL 13639).
See: 1. Binjor Indus Script Seal & Mulavarman yupa inscription, relate to yajna for बहुसुवर्णक, bahusuvarṇaka, 'to possess many gold pieces' http://tinyurl.com/z2q2rk6
2. jagati, 'pedestal of an idol' with dhāu 'mineral' trefoils rebus धामन् dhāman 'wealth' https://tinyurl.com/y66ru3o9 3. Master of animals is a bull-man, a blacksmith, a celestial being, generator of wealth of a nation https://tinyurl.com/y29nwwof
Dholavira. Pillar with stone rings. In situ.
Pillar members in their original place in the Castle, Harappan period (c. 2500-1900 BCE). The east gate is quite elaborate with a large and elevated built-in chamber and a sunken passageway in front that connects to the stairs rising on the interior part of the castle. Each wall had a central pillar supported by a base slab made up of square blocks.
The limestone pillar members, found at Dholavira reminiscence of the Harappan culture. A circular cut base of the pillar is shown below. Pillar members have been found in various trenches around Dholavira.
A broad and deep passageway with stairs and a high front terrace with connected pathways and on outward gentle slope. The entry from west gate leads to a set of reservoirs. Pillars and pilasters can be seen on the interior chambers of the west gate. These are mounted on the side walls of chambers and support the respective roofs.
Top view of the rectangular basal slab with robust locking mechanism. Entire pillars rested on these superstructures [?]. These were used as a mounting point for side walls of chambers and to provide support to the roof structure.
A set of three rectangular basal slabs used to support the pillar column and mud bricks. The image shows finely crafted pillar base on which the composite pillar members were placed in order. These can be found in the upper part of the town or the citadel.
An entry point into the Dholavira city and offering a vantage point over the sprawling cityscape is the North Gate. There are two large and elevated chambers flanked by sunken passageways on both sides. It is connected with L-shaped staircases. The front terrace is 6m high and 12m deep. The north gate holds the signpost with 10 unusually large Harappan symbols.
A 10 lettered signboard found in the western chamber of North Gate of Castle, (c. 2500-1900 BC). There are ten symbols in the panel. One symbol has been repeated four times. These symbols are indicative of use in Stage IV of Harappan Culture. These inscriptions are located near the gate and are often referred to as "Sign Board". The symbols have a special significance as visitors would see them before or after they entered Dholavira.
"However, one of the most exciting discoveries at Dholavira is a large wooden "signboard" just outside the north entrance to the citadel. This is actually one of the longest Indus inscriptions known. There are 10 symbols in the panel, each one is about 37 centimetres high and the board on which the letters were inscribed appears to have been about 3 meters long. One of the symbols is repeated 4 times. The symbols are made of white gypsum used like mosaic tiles, attached to a wooden background. At some point the wooden sign fell face down in the dirt, eventually rotting away but leaving the bricks in place in the ground. Bisht has said that this sign was in use in Stage IV, that belongs to the classical Harappan culture. Based on its location near the gate, this large inscription has been called a "sign board," suggesting that ancient Indus gateways, or at last this one, could have had some sort of signs associated with it that visitors to the city saw before or as they entered. However until the Indus script is deciphered, what the sign is saying still remains a mystery."
https://www.harappa.com/blog/dholavira-and-its-mysterious-sign-board